The Eastern Cape province experienced one of its deadliest weekends this year with at least 22 people losing their lives on its roads.
These deaths come as travellers begin to flock to the province for their year-end holidays, with a greater influx expected in the next few days before Christmas.
The road deaths include three people who are believed to have died on impact on Monday morning when the Toyota minibus taxi they were travelling in from Cape Town to Mthatha, overturned on the R61 between Cradock and Tarkastad, taking the province’s road death toll to 58 since the beginning of December.
Provincial traffic deputy director Charles Bramwell said the latest fatal accident happened at 6.10am on Monday.
“It is suspected that a tyre-burst caused the driver to lose control. The vehicle left the road, went through the steel barrier and down a small cliff, killing the two adult females and one adult male instantly,” he said.
Bramwell said three passengers, of whom two are children, were critically injured and were airlifted to Cradock hospital from where the one child was airlifted to a hospital in Port Elizabeth.
“Eight passengers sustained serious injuries and seven sustained slight injuries. The total number of the passengers was 21,” he said.
Bramwell said police were investigating a case of culpable homicide. The Dispatch reported on Friday that 36 people had lost their lives as a result of 34 crashes since December 1, with 20 of those killed being pedestrians.
Provincial transport department spokesman Unathi Binqose on Monday said two people travelling from Cape Town to the province died on Saturday morning when the taxi they were travelling in overturned on the N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg.
Binqose said 13 other passengers were injured in the accident, some seriously.
He said the accident which happened just after 5am on Saturday, took place when the taxi travelling to Ngcobo and Cofimvaba is believed to have overturned after it lost control while trying to avoid hitting a stray wild animal.
“Of the 22 weekend fatalities, 15 are passengers, five pedestrians and two drivers.
On Sunday, Binqose said among the many deadly accidents was one on the R56 between Matatiele and Mt Fletcher, where two vehicles collided head on, leaving two people dead.
Also on Sunday, on the same road, 20km before entering Ugie from Elliot, a vehicle overturned, instantly killing two occupants, while four others were left injured and fighting for their lives at nearby hospitals.
On Saturday, Binqose said, on the N6 near the casino in Komani, a male pedestrian was killed on impact when he was knocked down by a speeding vehicle which left the scene without stopping.
Binqose urged motorists to refrain from speeding and driving while under influence, and urged pedestrians to wear reflective colours especially when walking at night.
He urged those who would be travelling long distances to stop and rest every 200km.
The Dispatch reported on Friday that 36 people had lost their lives as a result of 34 crashes since December 1, with 20 of those killed being pedestrians.
Provincial transport department spokesman Unathi Binqose on Monday said two people travelling from Cape Town to the province died on Saturday morning when the taxi they were travelling in overturned on the N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg.
Binqose said 13 other passengers were injured in the accident, some seriously.
He said the accident which happened just after 5am on Saturday, took place when the taxi travelling to Ngcobo and Cofimvaba is believed to have overturned after it lost control while trying to avoid hitting a stray wild animal.
“Of the 22 weekend fatalities, 15 are passengers, five pedestrians and two drivers.
On Sunday, Binqose said among the many deadly accidents was one on the R56 between Matatiele and Mt Fletcher, where two vehicles collided head on, leaving two people dead.
Also on Sunday, on the same road, 20km before entering Ugie from Elliot, a vehicle overturned, instantly killing two occupants, while four others were left injured and fighting for their lives at nearby hospitals.
On Saturday, Binqose said, on the N6 near the casino in Komani, a male pedestrian was killed on impact when he was knocked down by a speeding vehicle which left the scene without stopping.
Binqose urged motorists to refrain from speeding and driving while under influence, and urged pedestrians to wear reflective colours especially when walking at night.
He urged those who would be travelling long distances to stop and rest every 200km...